Light source for plant cultivation

Abstract

To provide a light source for plant cultivation.SOLUTION: A plant cultivation light source includes two or more light sources selected from first to third light sources that emit first to third light beams, respectively. The first light beam has a first peak at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers, the second light beam has a second peak appearing at a wavelength, which is longer than that of the first peak, from about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers, and the third light beam has a third peak appearing at a wavelength, which is shorter than that of the first peak, from about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers. The first light beam has a color temperature of about 5000K, and has a first sub-peak having intensity lower than the intensity of the first peak at a wavelength from about 500 nanometers to about 700 nanometers, the first sub-peak having a full-width at half-maximum greater than that of the first peak.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a light source for cultivating plants, and more particularly to a light source that emits light optimized for photosynthesis in plants. [Background technology]

[0002] A variety of light sources that replace sunlight have been developed and are being used as lighting fixtures for plant cultivation. Incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, etc. have been mainly used as lighting fixtures for plant cultivation. However, there is a problem in that the existing lighting fixtures for plant cultivation cannot adequately provide plants with light in the wavelength range required for photosynthesis.

[0003] In recent years, LEDs have been used in some cases as lighting fixtures for plant cultivation, but they have problems such as having a spectrum limited to specific wavelengths and consuming excessive energy and costs to provide plants with a sufficient amount of light. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a light source for cultivating plants that provides light of an optimum spectrum for plant photosynthesis. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a light source for plant cultivation includes at least two or more light sources including first to third light sources emitting first to third light, respectively, the first light having a first peak at about 400 nm to about 500 nm, the second light having a second peak at a wavelength longer than the first peak at about 400 nm to about 500 nm, and the third light having a third peak at a wavelength shorter than the first peak at about 400 nm to about 500 nm. The first light has a color temperature of about 5000K, a first sub-peak having a lower intensity than the first peak at about 500 nm to about 700 nm, and a half width greater than the half width of the first peak.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the overlap area between the spectrum of the light emitted from the light source and the spectrum shown by the McCree curve may be about 50% or more of the spectrum shown by the McCree curve.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second light may have a second sub-peak at about 500 nanometers to about 600 nanometers, the second sub-peak having a higher intensity than the first sub-peak.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the third light may have a third sub-peak at about 500 nanometers to about 600 nanometers, the third sub-peak having a higher intensity than the first sub-peak.

[0009] The light source according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a fourth light source emitting a fourth light having a fourth peak appearing at about 600 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first to fourth light sources may be provided in multiple numbers.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light source may be adopted in a light source module for plant cultivation, and the light source module for plant cultivation includes a light source according to the above-mentioned embodiment that emits light in the visible light wavelength band, a controller that controls the light source, and a power supply unit that provides power to at least one of the light source and the controller.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light source may be adopted in a plant cultivation device, and the plant cultivation device includes a light source module according to the above-mentioned embodiment and a housing in which the light source module is mounted.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the light source according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments may be used to grow plants by providing light to the plants. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, light with an optimal spectrum for photosynthesis of plants is provided. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light efficiency is significantly increased by maximizing the overlap area of ​​the spectrum of the mixed light with the McCree curve through mixing two or more of the first to fourth lights. As a result, efficient plant cultivation is possible even with a small number of light sources, and energy consumption and the corresponding costs are reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a light source for cultivating a plant according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a light source module for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3a] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing spectra of light emitted from a first light source and a second light source in a light source according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3b] 1 is a diagram showing the spectrum of the mixed light of the first light source and the second light source and the spectrum of the McCree curve. [Figure 4]1 is a block diagram showing a light source module for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5a] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the spectrum of light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG. 4. [Figure 5b] 1 is a diagram showing the spectrum of the mixed light of the first and third light sources and the spectrum of the McCree curve. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram showing a light source module for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the spectrum of light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 1 is a block diagram showing a light source module for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 9a] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the spectrum of light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG. 8. [Figure 9b] 1 is a diagram showing the spectrum of mixed light from first to third light sources and the spectrum of the McCree curve. [Figure 10] 1 is a block diagram showing a light source module for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11a] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the spectrum of light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG. 10. [Figure 11b] 13 is a diagram showing the spectrum of the mixed light of the second and third light sources and the spectrum of the McCree curve. [Figure 12] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a cultivation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Although the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various forms, specific embodiments are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, but it is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific disclosed forms, and it should be understood that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0017] In describing the drawings, like reference numerals are used for like components. In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of the structures are exaggerated for clarity of the present invention. Terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, but each component should not be limited by each term. Each term is used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component. For example, the first component can be named the second component, and the second component can be named the first component, without departing from the scope of the present invention. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless it has a clearly different meaning in the context.

[0018] In this application, terms such as "comprise" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but should be understood as not precluding the presence or additional possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0019] The present invention relates to a light source for use in growing plants.

[0020] Plants use light in the visible light wavelength range to carry out photosynthesis and obtain energy through photosynthesis. Plant photosynthesis does not occur to the same extent in all wavelength ranges. The wavelength range of sunlight that plants use for photosynthesis is called Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR), which occupies a part of the solar spectrum and corresponds to the range of about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

[0021] A light source for cultivating plants according to one embodiment of the present invention is intended to provide optimal light for photosynthesis of plants.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a light source for cultivating a plant according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a light source module for cultivating a plant according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] 1 and 2, a light source module 100 for cultivating a plant includes a light source 30 that emits light required by a plant, a control unit 40 that controls the light source 30, and a power supply unit 50 that provides power to the light source 30 and / or the control unit 40. The light source 30 includes a first light source 31 and a second light source 33 that emit light in the visible light wavelength band and have spectral peaks of different wavelengths.

[0024] The first light source 31 and the second light source 33 may be disposed on a substrate. The substrate may be, but is not limited to, a printed circuit board on which wiring, circuits, and the like are formed on which the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 can be directly mounted. Any substrate on which the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 can be disposed is sufficient, and the shape and structure of the substrate are not particularly limited and may be omitted.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 40 is connected to the first light source 31 and / or the second light source 33 and controls whether the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 are operated. The controller 40 may be connected to the first light source 31 and / or the second light source 33 via a wire or wirelessly. A power supply unit 50 that supplies power to the controller 40 is connected to the controller 40. The power supply unit 50 may be connected to the light source via the controller 40 or directly to the light source to supply power to the light source.

[0026] The control unit 40 may control the on / off of the first light source 31 and / or the second light source 33 so that the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 emit light at a predetermined intensity in a predetermined section. The first light source 31 and the second light source 33 may operate independently so that the plant can perform photosynthesis as efficiently as possible. The control unit 40 may independently control the emission intensity and emission time of the first light L1 and the second light L2. In addition, when the first light source 31 and / or the second light source 33 includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, each light emitting diode may be independently controlled.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, when the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 include a plurality of light emitting diodes, the composition ratio of each light emitting diode may be variously changed. For example, the number of the second light source 33 may be less than that of the first light source 31, or the number of the second light source 33 may be more than that of the first light source 31. The number of the light emitting diodes in the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 may be determined according to the type of plant, and the composition ratio may be varied according to the ratio of cryptochrome, which is a blue light receptor, and phytochrome, which is a red light receptor. As a result, each light emitting diode provided in the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 can provide light irradiation customized according to the type of plant. As a result, the plant can grow faster and larger even with less power.

[0028] In addition, the control unit 40 may control the operations of the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 according to a preset process or by user input. The operations of the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 may be variously changed depending on the type of plant, the growth period of the plant, etc.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when a light source for plant cultivation is used, a growth environment suitable for a type of plant can be independently provided even under conditions where sunlight is insufficient or cannot be provided, and a large number of plants with improved photosynthetic ability can be easily cultivated.

[0030] FIG. 3a is a diagram showing the spectrum of light emitted from a first light source 31 and a second light source 33 in a light source according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3b is a diagram showing the spectrum of the mixed light from the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 and the spectrum of the McCree curve.

[0031] 3a and 3b, the first light source 31 emits a first light L1 in a first wavelength band, and the second light source 33 emits a second light L2 in a second wavelength band.

[0032] Both the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 emit light in a wavelength band used for photosynthesis. The wavelength band used for photosynthesis is about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers. The light source according to an embodiment of the present invention provides a plant with light having a plant lighting efficiency of 3.1 μmols / J or more.

[0033] The first light L1 has a color temperature of about 5000K and has a first peak P1 at about 400 nm to about 500 nm and a first sub-peak P1' at about 500 nm to about 700 nm. The first peak P1 may appear at about 400 nm to about 470 nm, for example, about 430 nm to about 460 nm. The first sub-peak P1' may appear at about 540 nm to about 600 nm.

[0034] The first peak P1 has the highest intensity in the spectrum of the first light L1, and the first sub-peak P1' has an intensity lower than that of the first peak P1. The half width of the first peak P1 is narrower than the half width of the first sub-peak P1'.

[0035] The second light L2 has a second peak P2 at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers and a second sub-peak P2' at about 500 nanometers to about 700 nanometers. The second peak P2 may occur at about 450 nanometers to about 500 nanometers, for example, at about 480 nanometers. The second sub-peak P2' may occur at about 540 nanometers to about 610 nanometers.

[0036] The second peak P2 has the highest intensity in the spectrum of the second light L2, and the second sub-peak P2' has an intensity lower than that of the second peak P2. The half width of the second peak P2 is narrower than the half width of the second sub-peak P2'.

[0037] The second peak P2 appears at a longer wavelength than the first peak P1, and the second sub-peak P2' appears in a wavelength band similar to that of the second sub-peak P2'. The intensities of the first peak P1 and the second peak P2 may be similar. The first peak P1 and the second peak P2 are in a region corresponding to blue light. In this embodiment, since the first peak P1 and the second peak P2 do not appear at the same wavelength, it is possible to prevent excessively high intensity blue light from being provided to the plant when the first light L1 and the second light L2 are combined.

[0038] The second sub-peak P2' may be emitted with a higher intensity than the first sub-peak P1', and the height of the second sub-peak P2' may be higher than the height of the first sub-peak P1'. The second sub-peak P2' ranges from green to yellow and part of red. The wavelength bands relatively effective for photosynthesis correspond to blue and red, but visible light wavelength bands having other colors between blue and red may also affect photosynthesis. For example, various pigments in plants, such as carotenoids, can absorb light in wavelength bands that chlorophyll does not absorb, thereby dispersing light and preventing chlorophyll from being destroyed. In addition, since the absorption spectrum of chlorophyll and the action spectrum of leaves do not completely match, photosynthesis occurs to a certain extent even with green light that chlorophyll hardly absorbs. In one embodiment of the present invention, the spectrum corresponding to green to red is supplemented by the second sub-peak P2' of the second light L2, thereby improving the photosynthetic efficiency of the plant for various lights.

[0039] The spectrum of the first light L1 has a valley between the first peak P1 and the first sub-peak P1', and the spectrum of the second light L2 has a valley between the second peak P2 and the second sub-peak P2'. The positions of the two valleys in the spectrum of the first light L1 and the spectrum of the second light L2 do not coincide with each other, so that when the two lights are combined, a sufficient amount of light can be provided to the plant even in the area corresponding to the valley.

[0040] The light source of the present invention emits light having a spectrum that overlaps with a spectrum known as the McCree curve by 50% or more area by combining the first light L1 and the second light L2. The McCree curve spectrum indicates light that corresponds to the wavelength range required for optimal growth of plants.

[0041] According to the McCree curve (MC), the wavelength band of light required for plant photosynthesis is uniformly distributed in the band of about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers. Therefore, even when using artificial lighting such as LEDs, it is necessary to provide light with a wavelength that has uniform intensity in the band of about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

[0042] In the case of LEDs in the existing lighting for plants, it is common to provide high intensity light in a single wavelength band with a narrow half-width rather than emitting light in the entire wavelength band. For example, in the existing lighting for plants, red light sources and blue light sources that respectively emit red light of about 660 nanometers and blue light of about 450 nanometers, which are considered to be mainly used for photosynthesis, are often used. Or, in the existing lighting for plants, a mixture of white light sources having color temperatures of about 5000K and 3000K is used, and a light source in the red wavelength band is also used. However, in the case of the lighting for plants of the existing invention, there is a problem that it is difficult to provide photons to plants in the entire wavelength band corresponding to the McCree curve, and as a result, the photosynthetic efficiency is not high.

[0043] An embodiment of the present invention provides light that maximally matches the McCree curve using illumination with different spectra, and in particular provides a light source that emits light with spectra having an area overlap rate of 50% or more or 70% or more.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present invention, the light sources may be implemented in various forms, for example, light emitting diodes.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, the spectrum of the light source to provide light that matches the McCree curve may be configured differently than in the above-described embodiment.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a light source module 100 for cultivating a plant according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 5a shows the spectrum of the light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG. 4, and FIG. 5b shows the spectrum of the mixed light of the first and third light sources and the spectrum of the McCree curve.

[0048] 4, 5a and 5b, a light source module 100 for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a light source 30 including a first light source 31 and a third light source 35, a control unit 40, and a power supply unit 50.

[0049] In the present embodiment, the first light source 31 and the third light source 35 both emit light in the wavelength band used for photosynthesis. The first light source 31 emits a first light L1, and the third light source 35 emits a third light L3.

[0050] The first light L1 has a color temperature of about 5000K and has a first peak P1 at about 400 nm to about 500 nm and a first sub-peak P1' at about 500 nm to about 700 nm. The first peak P1 may appear at about 400 nm to about 470 nm, for example, about 430 nm to about 460 nm. The first sub-peak P1' may appear at about 540 nm to about 600 nm.

[0051] The first peak P1 has the highest intensity in the spectrum of the first light L1, and the first sub-peak P1' has an intensity lower than that of the first peak P1. The half width of the first peak P1 is narrower than the half width of the first sub-peak P1'.

[0052] The third light L3 has a third peak P3 at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers and a third sub-peak P3' at about 500 nanometers to about 700 nanometers. The third peak P3 may occur at about 400 nanometers to about 460 nanometers, for example, at about 410 nanometers. The third sub-peak P3' may occur at about 500 nanometers to about 550 nanometers.

[0053] The third peak P3 has the highest intensity in the spectrum of the third light L3, and the third sub-peak P3' has an intensity lower than that of the third peak P3. The half width of the third peak P3 is narrower than the half width of the third sub-peak P3'.

[0054] The third peak P3 appears at a shorter wavelength than the first peak P1, and the third sub-peak P3' appears in a wavelength band similar to that of the first sub-peak P3'. The intensities of the first peak P1 and the third peak P3 may be similar to each other.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first peak P1 and the third peak P3 do not appear at the same wavelength, so that when the first light L1 and the third light L3 are combined, excessively high intensity blue light is prevented from being provided to the plant.

[0056] The third sub-peak P3' may be emitted with a higher intensity than the first sub-peak P1', and in this case, the height of the third sub-peak P3' may be higher than the height of the first sub-peak P1'.

[0057] The third sub-peak P3' is in a wavelength band ranging from green to yellow and closer to green. The spectrum corresponding to green to yellow is reinforced by the third sub-peak P3' of the third light L3, thereby improving the photosynthetic efficiency of plants in response to various lights.

[0058] The spectrum of the first light L1 has a valley between the first peak P1 and the first sub-peak P1', and the spectrum of the third light L3 has a valley between the third peak P3 and the third sub-peak P3'. The positions of the two valleys in the spectrum of the first light L1 and the spectrum of the third light L3 do not coincide with each other, so that when the two lights are combined, a sufficient amount of light can be provided to the plant even in the area corresponding to the valley.

[0059] An embodiment of the present invention provides lighting that uses different spectra to provide light that matches the McCree curve as closely as possible, and in particular provides light whose spectrum has an area overlap of 50% or more, or 70% or more, with the McCree curve.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, the spectrum of the light source to provide light that matches the McCree curve may be set differently from the above-mentioned embodiment, and light sources of other wavelengths may also be combined.

[0061] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a light source module 100 for cultivating plants according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the spectrum of light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG.

[0063] 6 and 7, the light source for plant cultivation according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first light source 31, a second light source 33, a fourth light source 37, a control unit 40, and a power supply unit 50.

[0064] As the first light source 31 and the second light source 33, those substantially the same as the first light source 31 and the second light source 33 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 may be used.

[0065] According to the present embodiment, the fourth light source 37 emits the fourth light L4 having a fourth peak P4 appearing at about 600 nm to about 700 nm. The peak of the fourth light L4 is located in a wavelength band corresponding to red. The fourth light L4 from the fourth light source 37 reinforces the light corresponding to red in the entire spectrum, thereby improving the photosynthetic efficiency of the plant in response to various lights. The fourth light source 37 may have a peak at about 640 nm to about 680 nm, for example, may have a fourth peak P4 at 660 nm.

[0066] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a light source module 100 for cultivating plants according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] FIG. 9a is a diagram showing the spectrum of light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG. 8, and FIG. 9b is a diagram showing the spectrum of the mixed light of the first to third light sources and the spectrum of the McCree curve.

[0068] 8, 9a and 9b, a light source for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first light source 31, a third light source 35, a fourth light source 37, a control unit 40, and a power supply unit 50.

[0069] As the first light source 31 and the third light source 35, those substantially the same as the first and third light sources 31, 35 shown in Figs. 2 and 4 may be used.

[0070] According to the present embodiment, the fourth light source 37 emits the fourth light L4 having a fourth peak P4 appearing at about 600 nm to about 700 nm. The peak of the fourth light L4 is located in a wavelength band corresponding to red. The fourth light L4 from the fourth light source 37 reinforces the light corresponding to red in the entire spectrum, thereby improving the photosynthetic efficiency of the plant in response to various lights. The fourth light source 37 may have a peak at about 640 nm to about 680 nm, for example, the fourth peak P4 at 660 nm.

[0071] An embodiment of the present invention provides lighting that uses different spectra to provide light that matches the McCree curve as closely as possible, and in particular provides light whose spectrum has an area overlap of 50% or more, 70% or more, or 80% or more with the McCree curve.

[0072] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a light source module 100 for cultivating plants according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] FIG. 11a shows the spectrum of the light from the plant cultivation light source of FIG. 10, and FIG. 11b shows the spectrum of the mixed light of the second and third light sources and the spectrum of the McCree curve.

[0074] 10, 11a and 11b, a light source for cultivating a plant according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a second light source 33, a third light source 35, a fourth light source 37, a control unit 40, and a power supply unit 50.

[0075] As the second light source 33 and the third light source 35, those substantially the same as the second and third light sources 33, 35 shown in Figs. 2 and 4 may be used.

[0076] An embodiment of the present invention provides lighting that uses different spectra to provide light that matches the McCree curve as closely as possible, and in particular provides light whose spectrum has an area overlap of 50% or more, or 70% or more, with the McCree curve.

[0077] As described above, the light source according to the embodiment of the present invention may be combined in various forms, and the combination forms are not limited to those described above. For example, the light source according to the embodiment of the present invention may include at least two of the first to third light sources, or may include at least three of the first to fourth light sources. For example, the light source may include all of the first to fourth light sources. Or, the light source may include the first light source, the third light source, and the fourth light source. When two or more of the first to fourth light sources are combined, the overlapping area between the spectrum of the light emitted from the light source and the spectrum shown on the McCree curve may be about 70% or more of the spectrum shown on the McCree curve. In this way, by mixing two or more of the first to fourth light sources, the overlapping area of ​​the spectrum of the mixed light with the McCree curve is maximized, and the light efficiency may be increased to 3.1 μmol / J or more. As a result, efficient plant cultivation is possible even with a small number of light sources, and energy and corresponding cost consumption are reduced.

[0078] In this embodiment, at least one of the first to fourth light sources may include a plurality of light emitting elements.

[0079] The light source according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used for plant cultivation, and therefore may be applied to a plant cultivation device, a greenhouse, or the like in which a light source is installed.

[0080] Fig. 12 is a conceptual diagram of a cultivation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cultivation apparatus shown in Fig. 11 is a small cultivation apparatus as an example, and is not limited thereto.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 12, a cultivation device 100' according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 60 having an internal space in which plants can be grown, and a light source 30 provided within the housing 60 and emitting light.

[0082] The housing 60 provides an empty space inside where a plant can be provided and grown. The housing 60 may be provided in a box shape capable of blocking external light. In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing 60 may include a lower case 61 that is open toward the top and an upper case 63 that is open toward the bottom. The lower case 61 and the upper case 63 may be fastened to each other to form a box shape blocking external light.

[0083] The lower case 61 includes a bottom and a sidewall extending upward from the bottom. The upper case 63 includes a cover and a sidewall extending downward from the cover. The sidewalls of the lower case 61 and the upper case 63 may have a structure in which they are engaged with each other and fastened to each other. The lower case 61 and the upper case 63 can be fastened or separated according to the user's intention, thereby allowing the user to open or close the housing 60.

[0084] The housing 60 may be provided in various shapes. For example, the housing 60 may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cylindrical shape. However, the shape of the housing 60 is not limited thereto, and the housing 60 may be provided in a shape different from the above.

[0085] The housing 60 provides an environment in which a plant provided therein can grow. The housing 60 may be provided in a size that can accommodate a plurality of plants provided therein to grow. The size of the housing 60 may vary depending on the use of the plant cultivation device 100'. For example, when the plant cultivation device 100' is used for small-scale plant cultivation for home use, the housing 60 may be relatively small. On the other hand, when the plant cultivation device 100' is used for commercially cultivating and selling plants, the housing 60 may be relatively large.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing 60 can block light so that light outside the housing 60 does not enter the inside of the housing 60. Thus, a darkroom environment isolated from the outside can be provided inside the housing 60. This can prevent external light from being unnecessarily irradiated onto the plants provided inside the housing 60. In particular, the housing 60 can prevent external visible light from being irradiated onto the plants. However, in some cases, the housing 60 can be designed so that a part of it can be opened to directly receive external light.

[0087] In this embodiment, the space within the housing 60 may be provided as one unit, but this is for convenience of explanation, and the space may be divided into a plurality of regions. That is, the housing 60 may be provided with partitions that divide the space within the housing 60 into a plurality of regions.

[0088] The light source provides light to plants in the space within the housing 60. The light source is provided on the inner surface of the upper case 63 or the lower case 61. In one embodiment of the present invention, the light source may be provided on the cover part of the upper case 63. In the present embodiment, the light source is provided on the inner surface of the cover part of the upper case 63 as an example, but is not limited thereto. For example, in another embodiment of the present invention, the light source may be provided on the side wall part of the upper case 63. Or, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, the light source may be provided on the side wall part of the lower case 61, for example, at the upper end of the side wall part. Or, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, the light source may be provided in at least one of the cover part of the upper case 63, the side wall part of the upper case 63, and the side wall part of the lower case 61.

[0089] A cultivation table 70 may be provided in the space within the housing 60 to facilitate the cultivation of plants, for example, to facilitate hydroponic cultivation. The cultivation table 70 may be composed of a plate 71 arranged at a distance from the bottom of the housing 60 toward the upper side. The plate 71 may be provided with a through hole 73 of a certain size. The cultivation table 70 is for growing plants on the upper surface of the plate 71, and may have a plurality of through holes 73 so that water can be drained when water is supplied. The through holes 73 may be provided with a size that prevents the plants from tilting downward. For example, the diameter of the through holes 73 may be smaller than that of the plants. The space between the cultivation table 70 and the bottom of the lower case 61 may function as a water tank in which drained water is stored. Thus, the water drained downward through the through holes 73 of the cultivation table 70 may be stored in the space between the bottom of the lower case 61 and the cultivation table 70.

[0090] However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the grass family plant can be cultivated by a method other than hydroponic cultivation, in which case water, a culture medium, soil, etc. may be provided in the space inside the housing 60 so as to supply the grass family plant with necessary moisture and / or nutrients, and in this case, the housing 60 can function as a container. The culture medium, soil, etc. may contain nutrients that allow the plant to grow, such as potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), etc. The plant may be provided in a form embedded in the culture medium or provided on the surface of the culture medium depending on the type of plant.

[0091] The size and shape of the cultivation table 70 may vary depending on the shape of the housing 60 and the manner in which the first light source and the second light source are provided. The size and shape of the cultivation table 70 may be configured such that a plant provided on the cultivation table 70 is within an irradiation range of light irradiated from the first light source and the second light source.

[0092] A water supplying device for supplying water to a plant may be provided in the housing 60. The water supplying device may be provided on the upper end of the housing 60, for example, on the inner surface of the cover part of the upper case 63, and configured to spray water onto the cultivation table 70 of the housing 60. However, the form of the water supplying device is not limited to the above, and may vary depending on the shape of the housing 60 and the arrangement of the cultivation table 70. In addition, a user may directly supply water into the housing 60 without using a separate water supplying device.

[0093] One or more water supplying devices may be provided. The number of water supplying devices may vary depending on the size of the housing. For example, in the case of a relatively small home plant cultivation device, one water supplying device may be provided since the housing is small. On the other hand, in the case of a relatively large commercial plant cultivation device, multiple water supplying devices may be provided since the housing is large. However, the water supplying devices are not limited thereto, and may be provided in various numbers and at various positions.

[0094] The water supplying device may be connected to a water tank provided in the housing 60 or a water tap outside the housing 60. The water supplying device may further include a filter to prevent contaminants suspended in the water from being provided to the plants. The filter may include a filter such as activated carbon or nonwoven fabric, and the water passing through the filter may be purified. The filter may further include a light irradiation filter in some cases, and the light irradiation filter can remove germs, bacteria, mold spores, etc. present in the water by irradiating the water with ultraviolet light, etc. By including the above-mentioned filters in the water supplying device, there is no risk of contamination of the inside of the housing 60 and the plants even when water is reused or rainwater is immediately used for cultivation.

[0095] The water provided by the water supplying device may be provided as water itself (e.g., purified water) without additional nutrients, but may contain nutrients necessary for plant growth, without being limited thereto. For example, the water may contain substances such as potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, chloride (Cl), etc. For example, Sachs solution, Knop solution, Hoagland solution, Hewitt solution, etc. may be provided from the water supplying device.

[0096] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light source can be used to grow plants.

[0097] A method for cultivating a plant according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step of germinating a plant and a step of providing light in a visible light wavelength band to the germinated plant. The light provided to the plant may be emitted from each light source according to each embodiment described above, and the light in the visible light wavelength band may include at least two or three of the first to fourth lights having different optical spectra.

[0098] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art or those with ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field that the present invention can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the spirit and technical scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below.

[0099] Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims

1. At least two light sources among first to third light sources emitting first to third light, respectively; the first light has a first peak at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the second light has a second peak occurring at a longer wavelength than the first peak, at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the third light has a third peak occurring at a wavelength shorter than the first peak, between about 400 nanometers and about 500 nanometers; The first light has a color temperature of about 5000K, a first sub-peak having an intensity lower than the first peak at about 500 nanometers to about 700 nanometers, and a half-width greater than the half-width of the first peak.

2. 2. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 1, wherein an overlap area between the spectrum of the light emitted from the light source and the spectrum shown by the McCree curve is about 50% or more of the spectrum shown by the McCree curve.

3. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 2 , wherein the second light has a second sub-peak having a higher intensity than the first sub-peak at about 500 nanometers to about 600 nanometers.

4. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 2 , wherein the third light has a third sub-peak having a higher intensity than the first sub-peak at about 500 nanometers to about 600 nanometers.

5. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 2 , further comprising a fourth light source emitting a fourth light having a fourth peak appearing at about 600 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

6. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 2 , comprising the first light source and the second light source.

7. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 2 , comprising the first light source and the third light source.

8. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 2 , comprising the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source.

9. 9. The light source for plant cultivation according to claim 8, wherein an overlap area between the spectrum of the light obtained by mixing the first light, the second light, and the spectrum shown by the McCree curve is about 70% or more of the spectrum shown by the McCree curve.

10. The light source for cultivating plants according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source is provided in a multi-unit configuration.

11. A light source that emits light in the visible light wavelength range; A control unit for controlling the light source; and a power supply unit for providing power to at least one of the light source and the controller; The light source includes at least two light sources among first to third light sources that respectively emit first to third light, the first light has a first peak at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the second light has a second peak occurring at a longer wavelength than the first peak, at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the third light has a third peak occurring at a wavelength shorter than the first peak, between about 400 nanometers and about 500 nanometers; the first light has a color temperature of about 5000K and a fourth peak at about 500 nanometers to about 700 nanometers having an intensity lower than the first peak and a half width greater than the half width of the first peak; The control unit controls at least one of the intensity of the light, the emission time of the light, the wavelength band of the light, and the number of times the light is emitted.

12. 12. The light source module for plant cultivation according to claim 11, wherein an overlap area between the spectrum of the light emitted from the light source and the spectrum shown by the McCree curve is about 70% or more of the spectrum shown by the McCree curve.

13. a light source module including at least two light sources among first to third light sources that emit first to third light, respectively; and A plant is provided, the plant including: a housing having the light source module mounted therein; the first light has a first peak at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the second light has a second peak occurring at a longer wavelength than the first peak, at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the third light has a third peak occurring at a wavelength shorter than the first peak, between about 400 nanometers and about 500 nanometers; The first light has a color temperature of about 5000K, a first sub-peak having an intensity lower than the first peak at about 500 nanometers to about 700 nanometers, and a half-width greater than the half-width of the first peak.

14. Germinating the plant; and providing light in the visible wavelength range to the germinated plants; The light in the visible light wavelength band includes at least two lights among first to fourth lights having different optical spectra, the first light has a first peak at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the second light has a second peak occurring at a longer wavelength than the first peak, at about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers; the third light has a third peak occurring at a wavelength shorter than the first peak, between about 400 nanometers and about 500 nanometers; The first light has a color temperature of about 5000K, a fourth peak having an intensity lower than the first peak at about 500 nanometers to about 700 nanometers, and a half width greater than the half width of the first peak.

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